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dys-

American  
  1. a combining form meaning “ill,” “bad,” used in the formation of compound words.

    dysfunction.


dys- British  

prefix

  1. diseased, abnormal, or faulty

    dysentery

    dyslexia

  2. difficult or painful

    dysuria

  3. unfavourable or bad

    dyslogistic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dys-

< Greek; cognate with Old Norse tor-, German zer-, Sanskrit dus-


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The problem is that dys- means something negative: dysfunction, dyslexia, dystopia.

From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2019

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